Events at Physics |
Events on Thursday, October 4th, 2018
- R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar
- Topological quantum computation with Majorana zero modes
- Time: 10:00 am
- Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
- Speaker: Roman Lutchyn, Microsoft Station Q
- Abstract: Research in quantum computing has offered many new physical insights as well as the potential of exponentially increasing the computational power that can be harnessed to solve important problems in science and technology. The largest fundamental barrier to building a scalable quantum computer is errors caused by decoherence. Topological quantum computing overcomes this barrier by exploiting topological materials which, by their nature, limit errors. In this talk, I will discuss how to engineer topological superconductors at the interface of a conventional superconductor and a semiconductor with spin-orbit interaction. I will review recent experiments aiming to detect Majorana zero-energy modes at the ends of the proximitized nanowires. Finally, I will present designs for scalable quantum computers composed of qubits involving superconducting islands in a Coulomb blockade regime hosting aggregates of four or more Majorana zero modes.
- Host: Levchenko
- Cosmology Journal Club
- Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- Place: 5242 Chamberlin Hall
- Abstract: Please visit the following link for more details:
http://cmb.physics.wisc.edu/journal/index.html
Feel free to bring your lunch!
If you have questions or comments about this journal club, would like to propose a topic or volunteer to introduce a paper, please email Ross Cawthon (cawthon@wisc.edu) and Santanu Das (sdas33@wisc.edu). - Astronomy Colloquium
- Diermeier Visiting Professor
- Chemical Cartography of the Milky Way Disk with SDSS/APOGEE
- Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
- Place: 4421 Sterling Hall, Coffee and cookies 3:30 PM. Talk Begins at 3:45 PM
- Speaker: Jon Holtzman, Department Head, Astronomy, New Mexico State University
- Abstract: The SDSS Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) has collected high resolution near-IR spectra of several hundred thousand stars across the Milky Way. I'll describe some observational results about the spatial variation of chemical abundances as a function of Galactocentric radius and distance from the midplane, discussing mean abundances, metallicity distribution function, and the variation of abundance ratios of multiple elements. Additional information related to stellar ages can be obtained from [C/N] for red giant stars. Several lines of evidence suggest that radial migration has had a significant impact on the Galactic disk.
- Host: Professor Matt Bershady